Memories in the rain
by just another harlequin
Summary: Ichigo lived an ordinary life; a constant pattern of wake up, survive, go back to sleep. And then she crashed into his life and ruined everything. To think, he was almost getting used to the rain. A series of one-shots on how the rain stopped.
1. Don't let it rain

**BLEACH is property of Tite Kubo. All rights reserved. **

Collection of random one-shots centered around the well-known and commonly-used 'memories in the rain' prompt. Updates will probably be sporadic.

**.**

**Don't let it rain**

**Summary: **It didn't have to rain with her around.

**.**

The sun beat restlessly on the streets of Karakura Town, the heat flowing oppressively throughout. Music from a teenager's bedroom drifted lazily out the window, the sad melody a contrast to the laughing kids enjoying cold ice-cream and playing in the spray of a broken water pipe.

A few people would stop as they passed by to look towards the second floor window, the source of the melancholy music, and shake their heads.

"Must be a depressed person in there," some would sympathetically observe while others would scoff, "Overdramatic kid."

A shock of orange hair would get whoever to comment to quickly shut their mouths.

Furrowed brow, harsh features and a permanent frown; Kurosaki Ichigo was recognizable even from a distance.

Some muttered, "Juvenile." Others simply walked away quickly as if erasing the fact that they were ever there.

But he knew. He heard them.

Not because he cared what they said about him and it was certainly not because he was hoping that his rebellious choice in music would get him attention; his hair did enough of that.

Leaning his elbows against the windowsill, he looked out with intense amber eyes; waiting, searching.

The fifteen year old teenager was constantly on alert.

It wasn't for the hollows that visited like he told himself it was, despite what she'd reminded him almost constantly, "Be prepared you idiot, if you aren't careful they could come up when you least expect it, and what would you do if I wasn't here to keep an eye out for you?"

He remembered arguing with her, "Like I'd need a midget like you to 'keep an eye out', can you even see from down there?"

As usual, such a response landed him a rather large bump on the head and later a moustache drawn on his face as she pinned him to the ground when he would insult her drawings.

There was a small pull at the corner of his lips at the memory and he inwardly berated himself.

She's in Soul Society.

So what? A part of him demanded.

Stop pretending that she'll jump through your window or hop out of your closet. She's not here.

What difference does it make? It's not like you want her here right?

No; of course not.

That pint-sized shinigami that crashed into his life was nothing, but trouble. Before her, his life was insignificant to the bigger picture. He played no part in the business of Death other than his encounters with the pluses.

Ichigo lived an ordinary life; a constant pattern of wake up, survive, go back to sleep.

Ever since the death of his mother on that fateful rainy day, he could only manage to go through the motions in order to push away his grief like his mother would have wanted. His sisters needed him, and so did his father, Ichigo needed to live up to his name.

And what did that girl do?

She crashed into his life, almost got herself killed, threw herself in harm's way, got taken by that douche-bag Renji and her emotionally constipated brother Byakuya, almost got herself executed then denied him the right to claim the girl.

Kuchiki Rukia was not only the worst damsel in distress he'd ever seen, but she was clueless, naïve, arrogant, stubborn, a bad artist, a messy roommate, a demanding cow and an awfully good shot for someone so small and breakable.

Ichigo didn't want to think about his life if she hadn't appeared through his window like she had.

Maybe he'd have fewer head injuries and bruised limbs due to her 'discipline' and maybe he wouldn't have so many scars or suffer from so much blood loss, but he'd never take those back if only to remind himself of the gift Rukia had given him, to be the one who protects.

And he'd tried ever since he'd taken her powers, to live up to her gift, to the name.

He'd failed with his mother, but he wouldn't with her.

But she was stubborn, always staying by his side no matter what hollow stood before them, always staying no matter how many times he told her to go back home and that he'd handle it, always there no matter how many times he'd tell her it was dangerous.

The substitute shinigami could count on one hand with two fingers when his roommate would do what she was told: When they were in school and when she needed him to explain the modern world to her.

Ichigo couldn't count the times she healed him with her meager power after he'd been careless, he couldn't count the times she scolded him and hit him when he did something stupid, he couldn't count the days since the rain in his heart stopped pouring.

He couldn't if he tried, and he did.

Rukia was a constant for two months before they took her away.

She was already part of the motions in his life, thanks to her there was more to living than just surviving and pretending to be happy when guilt still gnawed at him from his mother's death. After all, it only rained because his mother was taken…

Come to think of it, it rained when Rukia left too.

It was almost like seeing his mother die again. He'd relived that nightmare enough times, and now it featured Rukia as well. A reminder of another person he couldn't save.

He hated irony. Being given the gift to protect, but not being able to protect those he cared about the most? Irony sucked.

When he went on his mission to get her back, Ichigo told everyone that it was debt to be paid. But it wasn't. He was going to get her back because he needed her.

It started raining again when they took her away and like a child, he demanded that it wouldn't be so.

Damn the law. Damn her brother. And you know what? Damn her too for protecting him by leaving!

It was a selfish reason to get her back, just so the rain would stop, but with every battle he won; he was one step closer to having her light shine through the storm clouds.

Ichigo needed her.

In the end even though he claimed almost every victory within the barriers of Soul Society Sereitei and saved her from death beyond death like he'd planned, Rukia just had to ruin things:

"I'm staying."

Two words, those endless depths of amethyst and a small, almost sad smile; Ichigo never felt more vulnerable in his life.

Ichigo tried hard to remember what happened afterwards, however, it was all a blur. His friends and he went back home without her, the last thing he saw was the quirk of her lips and a shine in her eyes. A sense of pride outshining whatever sadness she felt with their parting.

"I won't say thank you for saving me."

"It's not like I wanted your thanks anyway."

They never said good-bye. Maybe that's why he was fine with the memory of her, at least for the first week.

Everything about his life suddenly felt considerably empty due to her absence and many a times he overheard Tatsuki saying, "He's acting like that because he's tense."

Everyone seemed to be aware of his shifting mood but only Sado, Inoue and Ishida really knew. Not that it mattered.

Stop moping damn it, you're turning into a pansy, he mentally scolded, but was stopped from an inward argument with himself when a cry from a hollow reached his ears.

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The shining sun and the burning heat had given way to a thunderstorm, flashes of lightning streaking the darkened sky as rain fell like bullets from the heavens.

Ichigo trudged back to his house, Zangetsu strapped to his back, his hair sticking to his face and his shinigami robes soaked with the tears of the sky. Drenched as he was, the teenager didn't care to flash-step to the sanctuary of his room. He even decided to take the long way home.

He hadn't been seriously injured in his brief battle with a few stray hollows, but he didn't feel it necessary to go back to his personal prison to view the empty closet and the bedroom that was suddenly too big, too empty and too clean.

Ichigo found himself walking through the park, glimpsing the waxing moon winking behind the heavily draped clouds and glares of sudden light.

Reaching the street on the other side of the park, a butterfly flitted past. He watched it flutter for a moment through the pitter-patter of rain-song; the soft flap of its wings somehow undaunted by the water that fell impatiently onto earth. His gaze on the creature shifted as he caught sight of a bright orange umbrella.

The rain lightened into a gentle shower; cleansing, healing.

"Rukia?"

A plethora of depthless, eternal blue hues met him from across the street, the dark purple sundress and the dusty brown Chappy doll she clutched with her free hand looked odd underneath the clashing color of the umbrella.

She raised an impudent brow. "Idiot, what are you doing in the rain?"

He felt his lips tug.

"Waiting for you."

**.**

**Owari**

**.**

**MissHappyMess **on Twitter


	2. Guardian

**BLEACH is property of Tite Kubo, all rights reserved.**

Phrases italicized are cited from the first episode, I don't own those either.

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**Guardian **

**Summary: **His mother was his first protector. Rukia was his second. He always did love the people who protected him.

**.**

Ten year old Kurosaki Ichigo walked, directionless, to some unknown place only he seemed to know. His brown eyes were glazed and blank, his movements automatic. As he passed various stores he once frequented on his mother's errands, owners of said store gave him a sympathetic smile.

Nearly all the shopkeepers of Karakura Town knew about the death of the Kurosaki matriarch.

She was the kind of woman who was well known and well-liked, not because she tried to please people, but because that was just the effect she had.

As an avid cook, Masaki was constantly at the grocery store sampling new ingredients, and as a naturally curious person, she was always willing to learn something new and as a social person, she was keen on making new friends. All these traits combined made her a popular person in Karakura Town.

The kind and beautiful Masaki was well loved by her husband, twin daughters and especially by her only son; the once ever smiling Ichigo.

The little boy walked on aimlessly, following a familiar path of aching memories.

Here he was, walking the same way they always did. But she wasn't here.

There was no hand for him to hold and no smile of a loving mother to see.

He was alone.

With each step, he felt like he was living every painful detail of his life without his mother.

His father's idiotic antics had simmered, his depression only seen from the slight down turn of his lip. His sisters had cried night after night together, cuddled tightly into their mother's clothes as if to pretend that she was still there. And he couldn't even look himself in the mirror, knowing that he was to look into the face of a killer.

He didn't know why he thought he killed his mother.

His father had said that it was an accident.

But that didn't stop the anxious tugging of his heart and the questions that swirled in his head: If it was an accident, why didn't I die too?

Now he had to walk home from the dojo alone because his father was working, not that Ichigo really minded. It had been a year since Masaki's death and Isshin had somehow decided that in order to be a better parental figure, he had to up the crazy and hope his kids came out fine.

Shaking his head, Ichigo continued to walk.

It had just finished raining and the cheerful glow of the side-walk was obscured by the long shadows of the setting sun.

His downcast eyes caught his mirrored, face-less image on the pavement. Ichigo couldn't deny how much bigger his shadow looked and how much it looked so capable and strong, his shadow seemed big enough to handle anything and protect everything most especially his mother

Why couldn't you?

Ichigo accused his shadow; his fists were clenched tightly at his sides and his eyes endured the familiar burning sensation. But he rubbed a chubby fist over his closed eyes and willed himself not to cry, she wouldn't return to wipe them away.

No one would fault him though for shedding a few tears, no nine year old needs to witness the death of their mother, he had cried enough and the throbbing pain in his chest was enough indication to know that she was not coming back.

All because of him.

All because she was protecting him.

It started to drizzle as the sun continued its slow descent from its zenith. It hadn't gone dark and moody though, it didn't resemble the day of her death: cold, ominous and raining heavily as if trying to clean away his mother's blood off of the earth.

But today when the light shower of rain sprinkled onto mankind, it was like a baptism given blessing by heaven.

It was actually kind of beautiful.

Heaven's tears poured in a rhythmic beat against the earth, a foggy haze hung through the air making the setting sun seem like a mirage before his eyes.

At times like this, Ichigo could forgive the rain for the dark clouds that cluttered his inner world and blocked out his light. When it rained like this, it felt fresh and comforting; the light breeze that flowed lightly through Karakura Town was like a gentle caress against the slowly developing frown that creased his brow, smoothing it out.

The scent of nature lifting in an aromatic fragrance that fell like a security blanket around his small form.

It smells like mom, he thought absent-mindedly as his feet continued to lead him through town, placed into a trance by his mother's melodic voice drifting through the wind.

Ichigo passed the dojo again, the ice-cream parlor, the public library and the grocery store until finally he was standing beside the stream where he awoke to a dead mother on the ground beside him.

Looking down at the body of soothingly flowing water, his reflection disturbed by the continuous ripples dancing along the surface, he could make out the features that made him her son: The bright mop of orange hair and the large, intense brown eyes.

He stared hard at himself, each ripple morphing his image to that of his mother, smiling at him from the depths of the water as if she was simply trapped in a liquid grave and needed to be rescued.

Maybe, just maybe he could reach in and pull her out.

His chubby face was already moist from the light drizzle and the few tears that escaped the corners of his eyes so dunking his head into the stream didn't feel very different.

But it was dark; terrifyingly dark. It was like looking into nothing. Nowhere in that black abyss did his mother's kind brown eyes appear. Still, he continued to search the unending blackness until a shrill cry, almost like an agonized howl, tore through the peaceful lullaby of quiet rain-song.

His head flew up from the stream, his mouth wide as he gasped for air, his eyes wide and the color of amber.

A large stomp sent the earth shaking and the water of the river to sprout like a fountain.

The cool, bone white mask of what he would later find out was called a Hollow, was the one thing he would always remember.

Its limbs were blended into the nearing evening, the sky now a darkening shade of indigo as the sun slowly flashed a smile before disappearing into the crown of the horizon.

Ichigo froze as the elongated arm moved.

No scream of horror escaped him, no movement was made; just the numb realization that there would be no one to get hurt this time but him. Ichigo was receiving his punishment for surviving the apparent accident while his mother had not. It was his turn.

Gradually his eyes shut of their own accord just as a figure leapt from behind the creature, a flash of silver shining with the ghostly glow of the appearing moon.

There was an anguished cry.

Ichigo's eyes shot open.

A woman stood with her back towards him, a sleek, thin piece of shiny metal clasped in her one hand as the creature cried out in agony at the blow it had received, right before disappearing like ash in the wind. Another two howls came up beside where the creature once stood, its similar bone white mask gleaming menacingly in the moonlight.

The woman's back tensed as she prepared an attack.

Ichigo watched as she moved swiftly, brandishing her weapon. Every swipe was efficient and deadly, her movements precise and elegant as if she was dancing through the light drizzle of rain that poured around them.

She disposed of the two creatures with the same accuracy she probably had with the first.

And then everything became still.

She looked over her shoulder slightly to glimpse him; eyes of a deep blue that seemed near the color of onyx met his. Ichigo wanted to ask her where she came from, but not before he caught the sight of yet another creature appearing from nothing but air, preparing to lash forward without her notice.

"Look out!"

The words left his mouth just as soon as his body moved to tackle the woman out of the way. Both landed in the shallow part of the river, the creature missing its target as its claw-like hand crashed into the ground where they once stood.

It howled angrily.

The woman spluttered in surprise. "What the hell?!"

"Move!" Ichigo ordered instead, grabbing her hand and pulling her to her feet despite being bigger than he was and drenched in water. She quickly took charge however, and grabbed him by his middle and ran.

She ran pretty fast for someone who didn't appear to be very tall, one second she moved one way, another second she was somewhere else. He could feel the quick rush of air as they moved before they came to a stop on the other end of the river.

Releasing him from her hold, she pushed him underneath the shadow of the bridge and ordered, "Get out of here, before you get yourself killed!"

"Not a chance!" he found himself arguing.

Here was another person trying to protect him again. Ichigo refused to let her die in his place.

"Urgh! Fool!"

"He's back!"

"What?!"

The creature slammed its claw, crushing the bridge and sending its structure tumbling in a pile of stones. She reacted quickly enough and grabbed him again.

But she didn't run away, instead Ichigo found that the both of them were now standing behind the large creature. She kept him firmly planted behind her as she raised a hand and began reciting something. A small beam of light formed in the center of her palm, and just as the creature turned around she ordered loudly, "Sai!"

An explosion erupted sending the earth shivering and various car alarms to go off.

In an instant as the creature let out another yowl of pain, the woman was gone from his side and had jumped high into the air wielding the thin sword.

As she landed a final blow, another incantation was sung from her lips as both sword and light hit the creature in unison. There was a louder, more powerful explosion released as she landed, she quickly turned towards him and shielded him from the flying debris.

Following the sudden explosions and howls, there was nothing but an eerie calm and the whisper of wind still running wildly through them.

The drizzle had come to a stop as the silence loomed and the world was bathed in twilight's cool, autumn chill.

"Are you okay?"

"Un…"

She pulled away to examine his face, gently brushing away the dirt that was smeared across his cheek and ruffling his hair to get rid of dust it had captured from the flying wreckage.

As she fussed over him, raising the sleeves of his shirt to check for any signs of injury and pulling at his limbs to make sure they didn't suffer any strains, Ichigo noticed that her eyes were the color of violet.

"What was that thing?" He found himself asking, watching as the crease in her brow eased slightly with each confirmation that he was not injured. Still, she wouldn't take a chance and continued her examination.

"A hollow."

"What's a hollow?"

Kneeling before him, her face perked from its solemn expression and a sketchbook was produced from her strange black robes. She drew him odd pictures of bunnies in an attempt at an explanation which pleased him because he wasn't entirely sure whether or not he understood. While he asked questions about the diagrams she was kind enough to draw for him, she continued to assess the situation at hand, wondering to herself why this little human boy was able to see her and the hollows.

Her mind ran quickly over the events that had just occurred and with a furrowed brow, she wondered why there was so many hollow showing up all of a sudden, so focused on finding a theory she was surprised by the voice of the little boy she'd just met:

"Why did you save me?"

Her eyes flickered towards him and then continued with her work of searching for any injuries. "Why shouldn't I?"

"You weren't supposed to save me."

"If I didn't, you wouldn't be alive."

Ichigo frowned. "No one saved my mom so no one should've saved me."

She paused and looked at him straight in the eye. "There's a reason people live and there's a reason people die. You serve a purpose; never underestimate anyone who relies on your existence for their survival."

To that he was silent.

His mother had given him the name Ich-i-go meaning, the One who Protects. His mother, however, died on his watch. How was he supposed to protect anyone when he couldn't even protect himself?

The faces of his younger sisters, his father and the ghosts he saw when he wasn't sulking in the recesses of his guilty conscious all flashed in his mind's eye.

She hadn't noticed the inner turmoil in his eyes and the contemplative silence that surrounded him.

After she was satisfied that he had no injuries from this little episode and after deciding that maybe he was one of those 'one in a million' cases, she was startled again by his question, "What's your name?"

Her amethyst eyes flickered into his briefly before asking instead, "Where do you live?"

"Over there," he answered, pointing towards the general direction of his home.

"I see."

The next thing he knew, everything was dark. The last thing he'd seen was the eyes of the woman who reminded him of his purpose, to be the one who protects, just like his mother had said.

When he woke the next day in his bed at home, he immediately ran to his father to harass him about what had transpired the night before. He was told though that he probably dreamed the whole thing up. He was a healthy ten year old, and all ten year olds had impressive imaginations.

At the age of fifteen, the suspicion about whether that night by the river had been nothing but a trick of the mind was almost complete if she had not shown up once more. Offering him the chance to live up to his name and to return the favor he owed her for saving his life some five years ago.

_ "Do you want to save your family?"_

_"Of course I do, is there a way?" _

_"There is one…you must become a shinigami…" _

He only needed a second to answer in the affirmative. _"Give me your sword, shinigami."_

Her eyes were like twilight as she looked up at him and smiled slightly.

_"It's not shinigami. It's Kuchiki Rukia." _

Ichigo remembered that day well. It stopped raining.

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**Owari**

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**MissHappyMess** on Twitter


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